October 14th.

Dear Maria Alexandrovna! Immediately after Volodya's departure for Krasnoyarsk I wrote you a detailed letter, and also upon Volodya's return from there. You have probably received both of these letters. Well, but that is all ancient history now. Winter has already arrived for us, our Shushenkа has frozen over, and there was snow, though it has since melted.

It is quite cold (about 5 degrees), which did not prevent Volodya from setting out today on a hunt for hares on the island for the whole day—he has not yet killed a single hare this year. He dressed warmly, and it will do him no harm to get some fresh air; lately he has been absorbed up to his ears in his "markets" and writes from morning till evening. The first chapter is already

* See the present volume, p. 99. Ed.